SYDNEY — An Australian police officer who fatally shocked a 95-year-old care home resident with a Taser gun was found guilty of manslaughter on Wednesday (Nov 26).

Kristian White was called to a care home in Cooma, a town around 90 minutes south of the capital Canberra, in May 2023, after reports that resident Clare Nowland, who suffered from symptoms of dementia, was acting erratically.

He shocked Nowland, who was holding a steak knife, with his Taser, police said at the time. She later died in hospital.

The jury found White guilty of the manslaughter of Nowland after deliberating for almost a week, said a spokesperson for the Supreme Court of New South Wales, the state where the incident took place.

He is expected to be sentenced as early as this week. Manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison in the state.

State Police Commissioner Karen Webb told a news conference on Wednesday the force was reviewing White's employment after his conviction.

The force reviewed its policy on the use of Tasers in January, and found that no updates were required, she added.

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